On my current Quarter horse, Libby, on the way to the voting polls in 2020.
I have ridden my horse to vote most years since 1972. Libby came to me
from a rescue group in Athens in 2016, two weeks after I had surgery
for uterine cancer. She had been rescued from an auction where most
horses are bought for slaughter.
Photo by Donald F. Wallbaum |
Riding with Joy: An
Interview with Joy Miller-Upton
by Gina McKnight
No duplication without permission.
“That
is one of the amazing and fun things about associating with these wonderful
creatures. They teach us lessons we can never learn in school.”
Living in
southeastern Ohio, I am surrounded by thousands of horse-lovers. Ohio is, after
all, the home of the American Quarter Horse Congress, one of the largest
one-breed horse shows in the world. Running into equestrians is a daily event
for me. One of my favorite equestrians is Joy Miller-Upton. I met Joy several
years ago through a mutual friend. Since, we enjoy sharing horse stories and
collaborating on horse-related literature. I caught up with Joy and asked about
her horse history, trail riding, and much more…
Welcome, Joy!
GM: Joy, it’s great to connect and share your
horse adventures! I know you have a vast horse history, but we have never
talked about your first horse. When was your first encounter with a horse?
JMU: Actually two
first encounters stand out in my mind. One was when my aunt and uncle took me
to their farm in Hocking County (Ohio) where I live now and set me up on the
back of a huge dark Draft horse in a very dark barn. The second, when I was
probably five, was with a burro my dad borrowed to use as a prop for his
costume in the Calico Days parade when we lived in the Mojave Desert in a tiny
town called Yermo. That was in the 1940s. I would go out to where we had the
burro tied to a tree in our yard and crawl up on his furry back and pretend I
was galloping across the desert. Since my first two experiences were on the
bare back of an equine I must’ve thought that was how you rode them, because
when I got my first horse when I was 12 that was the only way I ever rode,
bareback. The saddle that came with my first horse was a 1918 McClellan’s
saddle and it was so weird and so uncomfortable I only ever used it once. But I
wish I had it now!
GM: You are a
seasoned rider with lots of trail miles. Tell us about your ride along the
Underground Railroad…
JMU: A friend and I
decided to try to trace a route across Ohio, beginning at the Ohio River and
headed toward Canada, and ride it on horseback, that would approximately follow
routes used by freedom seekers escaping the south. To prepare for the 550 mile
ride, we did practice rides in 1998 and 1999, riding for a week each year.
The first year we
started our ride at a historic black church in a small area in Lawrence County (Ohio)
called Poke Patch. The church members helped us get started and allowed us to
use their church grounds to camp the first two nights. We literally camped
amongst tombstones in the cemetery while our three horses were tied nearby in
the woods. That year we were riding on tiny back roads winding our way through
an area now almost totally owned by the Wayne National Forest. That was ideal
because we could camp almost anywhere.
It was August and
very hot and dry. We counted on local people to assist us, just as freedom
seekers would have been helped as they made their way out of slavery. One night
we found ourselves in a dry camp with no water for the horses. Using an old
type cell phone, standing on a very high hill, we were able to reach one of the
church members and ask for help. Within an hour a truck pulled up with a large
tank of water for us and our horses.
The second year we
were assisted by a black historian, Henry Burke, and we rode in Washington
County. Henry helped us define routes that we would ride between safe stations
that had actually been used for underground railroad activity in the 1800s.
That year I rode alone with my Chincoteague pony, Jaca, and her daughter a
“ChincoFino,” Pearl, as my friend had broken her ribs during a training ride.
She assisted by driving her truck loaded with hay and water for the horses.
As I rode the back
roads, I met many helpful people, like the family who invited us to sleep in
their tiny backyard. They had many children but we were willing to share
whatever they had, including a toilet that you had to flush by pouring a bucket
of water in it.
Throughout that ride,
Pearl was a challenge as usual, showing great displeasure at having to share a
field next to sheep one night and prancing backward through an entire field
another day because there were cattle in a nearby field.
GM: A great story, I
understand you will be launching a book in 2021 about your journey. For such a
journey, what type of horses are needed? Do you prefer one breed over another
for long distance riding?
JMU: My book is
actually about six horse journeys. The first one I rode in 1973 was for 30
days. I rode my big Appaloosa, Jubilee, and my packhorse was a Quarter horse,
Tony. They were perfect because I had ridden them on other long trail rides,
some overnight, and they were very physically fit. They had also been around
all sorts of traffic and other distractions.
For a long distance
ride the breed of horse may not be as important as the horse’s conditioning.
Still, a lazy horse would drive you crazy on a long distance ride. For the
underground railroad rides I had considered using a Quarter horse I had at the
time, but he was extremely lazy and I would’ve worn myself out riding him.
Pearl, being half Paso, had lots of energy. Her mother, the Chincoteague pony,
was also very energetic. For any horse being taken on a long distance ride they
need to have that energy as well as being traffic safe.
GM: Wow! That sounds
like an amazing journey. When trail riding, what’s in your saddlebag?
JMU: Water, snacks,
an extra lead rope, a few first aid supplies for both horse and human, and
maps. That’s for a day ride. If I’m riding for several days, there would be a
lot more than that. The important thing is to pack for your horse‘s needs.
GM: Your horse wisdom
and horse adventures are well-known throughout our area. Do you have advice for
novice riders and those looking to purchase their first horse?
JMU: Find a
knowledgeable person to help you. Try riding and also helping around the barn
before you buy a horse so you have an idea what is involved in both work and
the expenses. Buying a well-trained, older horse is the only way to go for a
novice rider. Go to horse events, read, watch videos, and talk to other horse
riders. Just sit and watch horses. I have been riding more than seven decades
and I learn something new all the time, often from the horse herself. That is
one of the amazing and fun things about associating with these wonderful
creatures. They teach us lessons we can never learn in school.
GM: Every horse-lover
likes the thrill of horses in the rodeo. What is your favorite equestrian
event/discipline in and/or out of the arena?
JMU: Challenges that
showcase the horse performing natural horse activities is a beautiful thing to
see. When a human asks and a horse does that, whether mounted or from the
ground, it is awesome. I love watching someone work with horses at liberty.
The closest I’ve come
to that was as a child with my first horse. I think one reason kids and horses
are such a good match is that kids don’t overthink things like I as an adult
do. My first horse, Calico, and I had a job of leading our cow to a pasture
each morning before school. I would ride my horse with just a halter on and to
turn her I would reach up behind her ear and tug on the halter. Soon I realized
all I had to do was touch her behind the ear and she would turn. Then I
discovered if I thought about stopping to get off, she stopped. I began riding
her around the neighborhood with no bridle, halter, or saddle. Once someone
asked me if she neck-reined and I said no. I was a little ashamed that my horse
hadn’t learned to do that, but what I now realize is that I never taught her to
do that. But I did teach her to ride at liberty!
GM: Thanks, Joy, for
sharing your horse stories. Congratulations on your success as a horsewoman and
your new book coming out in 2021! Finally, I ask all the people I interview
about horsemanship. What does horsemanship mean to you?
JMU: Horsemanship to
me means that with every interaction, whether feeding the horse, grooming,
teaching or riding, the horse always comes first. It means paying attention to
what that individual equine needs and what he can and should do. It means developing
a partnership and friendship in which both equine and human have an equal say.
It means showing leadership and bravery to a species that is not always brave.
It also means trusting the equine you’re with to make choices beneficial for
both of you.
Connect with Joy…
Email jmillerupt@aol.com
Florida Equine Athlete
Available From Amazon
 |
I still like an occasional bareback ride! Zoe is a sweet, 14-year-old quarter horse mare, bought from an auction. Photo by Donald F. Wallbaum |
